John Pugh and West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper have issued a joint plea to NHS bosses urging them to abandon their plan to put out to tender community nursing services in Southport and Ormskirk.

These services are currently run by the hospital as an Integrated Care Organisation but the money for it comes from Southport and Formby NHS and West Lancs NHS (commissioning groups), which represent local doctors.

John Pugh said to Visiter.co.uk : "I understand there have been problems in the past with the service but with new management at the hospital there is no reason to believe they can't be ironed out. Currently though Southport and Formby NHS are inviting the world and his wife to bid to run these services.

"This not only risks a big chunk of the local NHS being privatised but it will lead to a more fragmented services as patients going in and out of hospital will be passed around between organisations. We were supposed to have an integrated care organisation. The clue is in the name."

"f a private provider takes the service off the hospital this will add to the hospital's financial woes and possibly cause the collapse of other services- making accessing hospital treatment worse for patients. "

" I am not sure Southport and Formby NHS recognise properly the implications of what they are doing. This is a massively complex contract and going through the bidding process is very costly, very risky and sucks huge sums out of the NHS budget that should be used in getting waiting lists down. They speak for local GPs but I question how far local GPs realise the downside of current actions."

A spokesman for NHS South Sefton CCG and NHS Southport and Formby CCG said: "Health commissioners in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire are inviting residents to offer their views and experiences of community health services as part of their plans to further improve the care these services offer local patients.

"Community health services is the collective name for a range of treatments and care that include for example blood testing, care for feet and leg ulcers, district nursing, pain control and community matrons. For West Lancashire this also includes some aspects of urgent care.

"NHS Southport and Formby CCG and NHS West Lancashire CCG are currently reviewing and re-tendering these services ahead of their contract coming to an end, in line with procurement laws."

In a joint statement chief officers Fiona Taylor from NHS Southport and Formby CCG and Mike Maguire from NHS West Lancashire CCG, said: "As local healthcare commissioners we have a duty to review all NHS services, especially when their contracts come to an end, in order to ensure they continue to meet the changing needs of their populations in the future, whilst at the same time continuing to provide the highest possible standards of quality and value for patients.

"Our governing bodies agreed to re-tender their community services contracts after carefully and thoroughly exploring all the options open to them, and listening to views from their membership of local GP practices.

"Their decisions were made after assessing all the evidence and information available, particularly in relation to their statutory duties and procurement law.

"We know that our residents, local doctors and other medical professionals alike want as much healthcare as possible to be provided as locally as possible, and our long term plans reflect our commitment to this, and we therefore are continuing to work closely with Southport and Ormskirk Hospital to ensure services are sustainable for the future.

"Both CCGs greatly value the skills, knowledge and experience of community services staff and are keen to ensure future services are informed by and built upon this strong and committed workforce.

"Patients in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire can still expect to have access to quality community services throughout the procurement process and beyond."

Southport and Formby residents wishing to give their views about current community services are invited to take part in a survey on the CCG’s website www.southportandformbyccg.nhs.uk or by emailing CMCSU.PALS@nhs.net. West Lancashire residents can send their views to their CCG on myview@westlancashireccg.nhs.uk .